Between 1962 and 1970, the Beatles
recorded one musical masterwork after another, with 27 No. 1 hits in the United
States and the United Kingdom, and 11 British LPs (plus the Magical Mystery Tour EP – 11 American
Capitol releases). Yet for today's listener, the Fab Four's annual Christmas
offerings are all but forgotten. The band's Christmas records were
originally conceived as a means for providing holiday greetings to their legions
of loyal fans through the Beatles' Fan Club. Beginning in December 1963,
British fan club members received annual Christmas messages as free "flexi-disc" record releases. For the inaugural release, the Beatles sang the
Christmas carol "Good King Wenceslas" and the comic "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Ringo." American releases, for whatever reason, were usually released in January of the
following year. While their British counterparts were given “flexi-disc” records, American fans received cardboard record releases in the mail. Over the years, The Beatles released such titles as “Did You
Wash Your Father’s Shirt?” and a bevy of holiday faves.